Evelyn Jean Lewis

Evelyn Jean Lewis, 86, died March 5, 2010, in Helena, Mont., after a brief illness.

She was born on Dec. 20, 1923, in Basin to Charles and Gladys Vonburg.

Evelyn spent her childhood years in Basin, then she followed her older brother, Vernon, to Chicago where she obtained her nursing degree in 1944. She joined the Army Nursing Corps and served in the Philippines from 1945-1946. While in the Philippines, she met and married Jack Lewis from Powell.

Evelyn and Jack returned to Wyoming at the end of the war. Jack went to law school, and Evelyn completed her bachelor’s degree. They then moved to Powell, where Jack opened his law practice and Evelyn worked as a private-duty nurse. After their children were born, they built a house in Garland.

Following Jack’s death in 1960, Evelyn decided that, in order to have sufficient time to spend with her children, she would return to the University of Wyoming to get her teaching degree. She then taught in the Powell school system until her retirement in 1989. Her students would say she was tough and fair.

Evelyn enjoyed camping, fishing, traveling, reading, walking her dog, doing crossword puzzles, playing cards (she always said she was too good to have to cheat) and visiting with friends. She never missed sending a birthday card or a card for every holiday (big and small) to her family and friends. Especially important to her were the times she spent with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; her two brothers, Vernon and Chuck; and her sister Lois; her son, Tim; and her grandson, Daryl.

A memorial service will be at Union Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 9, followed by burial with military honors at Crown Hill Cemetery. The family requests that donations be made to the Tim Lewis Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Becky Lewis, 1818 Hunters Court, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 or to the charity of one's choice.

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